grad ND filters who makes one which ...

[michael_]

screws on to the front of the lens like UV filters, http://www.singh-ray.com/grndgrads.html have the slide style which i would need a holder/adapter for correct?

[SkipD]

A screw-on ND Grad is not a practical filter design. The reason is that you always need to position the filter for the effect you are trying to create. If all you could do is rotate the filter and not raise or lower the break between clear and ND portions of the filter, it would not be very useful.

[Mike K]

I agree with Skip that you will want to move the graduated ND up and down to properly place the graduation where it is needed. However, another way to look at this is that they all screw on.. kind of. The filter holders, like the Cokin, have a lens ring on the back of them that screws on to the lens (or another filter like CP). You will need a lens adapter ring for this filter holder for each lens size you will likely use the NG filter with.
The Singh Ray you reference are excellent, but pricy. The reference you gave has excelled write ups by G Rowell and J Shaw on how to use these filters and why screw ins are not a good choice. If you are in a hurry you can simply hold them over the end of the lens and stop down via DOF preview button to help position it.
Here is one less expensive alternative that includes the Cokin P holder an one lens ring.
http://www.2filter.com/prices/htpackages.html
This company is very reliable on-line retailer.
Mike K

[SgWRX]

i had my first outing this past weekend with the singh-ray and cokin P adaptor. i very much like it. i actually got two 3 stop soft edge filters.

i got two because of sunsets. 3 stops didn't seem like enough with the bright sun and nearby clouds. being able to adjust two filters, sliding one a little lower and the other a little higher helped.

finally, it was nice to be able to rotate the setup for example to filter the sky on the right and a receding tree line on the left. i'm brand new and still need to get experience, but here's a few example shots.

[HrcRacing]

Love the first shot. That's especially nice. :grin: Really looking forward to getting mine as well.

[michael_]

cool SgWRX where did you get everything from? and if you dont mind me asking what it cost.

ohh and thx for the feedback guys much appreciated i hadnt thougt about the screw on issues.

[SgWRX]

Thanks.

I ordered this from B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=387341&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Then I ordered a 52mm adaptor for my 50mm f1.4.

You can search on "cokin" on B&H's website then pick the A series, P series or X-Pro, Z-Pro series and see what they all have.

I also ordred the singh-ray filters from B&H. Camera's and Photo Gear > Filters & Accessories > Square & Rectangular Filters > and over on the right > P Series Filters (Cokin, Tiffen, Hitech & Signh-Ray) or, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=4032

finally you can filter on the brands.

[michael_]

excellent thanks SgWRX very helpful information.

[SgWRX]

excellent thanks SgWRX very helpful information.

welcome

[dxbgal]

I would recommend u get a Cokin P holder and Grad ND filters from Hitech or Singh-Ray ..
Singh-Ray are very expensive ... if u are planning in using them alot and for pro photography go for them..

I went for the Hitch filters and got a Cokin holder from them and I have to say they are wonderful...

[HrcRacing]

I would recommend u get a Cokin P holder and Grad ND filters from Hitech or Singh-Ray ..
Singh-Ray are very expensive ... if u are planning in using them alot and for pro photography go for them..

I went for the Hitch filters and got a Cokin holder from them and I have to say they are wonderful...

I'm going the same route. The Hitech GND's (85P) are around $40 each with the Cokin P holder $14 and an adapter around $12. Cokin P filters are $24 or so and Lee's are around $90. :shock: :shock:
I figure, if nothing else, I can upgrade to the Hitech filter holder ($131) on down the line if need be.
Had I ordered the 77mm adapter instead of a 72mm:o :cry: , I'd be using them in a day or two. Brain f..., well, you know.;) :lol:

[dxbgal]

I'm going the same route. The Hitech GND's (85P) are around $40 each with the Cokin P holder $14 and an adapter around $12. Cokin P filters are $24 or so and Lee's are around $90. :shock: :shock:
I figure, if nothing else, I can upgrade to the Hitech filter holder ($131) on down the line if need be.
Had I ordered the 77mm adapter instead of a 72mm:o :cry: , I'd be using them in a day or two. Brain f..., well, you know.;) :lol:

I dont think the Hitech filters u ordered will fit the Hitech filter holder.. I think the Hitech filter holder is a larger 100X100mm.
Those Hitech filters are made specailly for Cokin holders ... The only problem is with wide angle lenses and this problems can be solved by modifing the cokin filter holder and removing one slot .. Generic cokin holders are cheap on ebay and so are the adapters.. So u will have 2 holders a normal one and a modified wide angle one :)

[HrcRacing]

I dont think the Hitech filters u ordered will fit the Hitech filter holder.. I think the Hitech filter holder is a larger 100X100mm.
Those Hitech filters are made specailly for Cokin holders ... The only problem is with wide angle lenses and this problems can be solved by modifing the cokin filter holder and removing one slot .. Generic cokin holders are cheap on ebay and so are the adapters.. So u will have 2 holders a normal one and a modified wide angle one :)

Actually, Hitech makes one specifically for the 85mm or Cokin P filters as seen here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=158920&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

I ordered a wide angle Cokin P holder, so hopefully, I'll be okay. 20mm is as wide as I go for now so, from what I've read here, I think I will be.

[Lani Kai]

I have a Tiffen 77mm Grad ND filter that works the same way as a circular polarizer. Convenient but I rarely use it because the horizon has to come to the center of the image.

[antaine]

I would recommend u get a Cokin P holder and Grad ND filters from Hitech or Singh-Ray ..
Singh-Ray are very expensive ... if u are planning in using them alot and for pro photography go for them..

I went for the Hitch filters and got a Cokin holder from them and I have to say they are wonderful...

which of the Grad ND filters would you recommend? my problem is that I want to get some detail in the sky but not where it looks like I used a filter (I would probably need the least strongest/darkest filter)

thanks, A.

EDIT: got some info at cokin.com, so probably need a Grad Grey Light (ND2 - ref: 121L) ??

[SgWRX]

my second shot (daisies and island) was with a single 3-stop soft edge. it was very near sunset, maybe 10 mins until i took the other shot. overall, i was initially surprised that 3-stops didn't seem to be as big a difference as i thought. live and learn :)

which of the Grad ND filters would you recommend? my problem is that I want to get some detail in the sky but not where it looks like I used a filter (I would probably need the least strongest/darkest filter)

thanks, A.

EDIT: got some info at cokin.com, so probably need a Grad Grey Light (ND2 - ref: 121L) ??

[dxbgal]

which of the Grad ND filters would you recommend? my problem is that I want to get some detail in the sky but not where it looks like I used a filter (I would probably need the least strongest/darkest filter)

thanks, A.

EDIT: got some info at cokin.com, so probably need a Grad Grey Light (ND2 - ref: 121L) ??

A fellow Irishman :)
Well I got a pack of 3 Hitech ND Grads for a good price. I got the soft one not the hard unless you have a definitive horizon ...
I got them from this UK store:
http://www.teamworkphoto.com/hitech.html

They come in a nice pack of three stops :) way cheaper than buying them individually...Shipping cost to Ireland about £8 ...



About getting a dark sky I tend to stack up 2 of them until I get what I like..

[antaine]

A fellow Irishman :)
Well I got a pack of 3 Hitech ND Grads for a good price. I got the soft one not the hard unless you have a definitive horizon ...
I got them from this UK store:
http://www.teamworkphoto.com/hitech.html

They come in a nice pack of three stops :) way cheaper than buying them individually...Shipping cost to Ireland about £8 ...



About getting a dark sky I tend to stack up 2 of them until I get what I like..



hi, thanks for the reply! - So the Hitech have their own adapter as well? my widest lense is 77mm (17-40L) - so I could get the Hitech 100 Adapter (40.5-77mm) and the filter set?? or I could get a 'Cokin P' and use the Hitech filters?

any advantage to either decision?
thanks!
Slán agus beannacht leat :)

[DavidW]

Though I don't have the filters being talked about, I'd give a big thumbs up to Teamwork. I called in at their shop in London after some advice about some Manfrotto bits and pieces (which turned out to be unsuitable for the task I had in mind), also a tripod bag.

The guy I was dealing with brought out various tripod bags and when it turned out that none was suitable, offered to order me a Gitzo one. After phoning the distributors, he said that it would be delivered to me next day.

It would have been churlish to walk away after taking half an hour of his time, and the price was only about £3 more than online anyway. I paid in store, and the tripod bag turned up as promised the next day from Hasselblad UK (who were, at that time, Gitzo's UK distributors).


It's about as hardcore a pro shop as you can get - the first two bodies in boxes on the shelf were an EOS 1Ds Mark II and a Hasselblad H1D (at the time that was the top of the range model; the H2D is now available). The guy I was dealing with told me that much of their business was to do with medium format digital.

Highly recommended.



David